How Qardio partners with Flexport to optimize its workflow and supply chain

Ela Lasić

Qardio is a San Francisco-based cardiovascular monitoring company that creates smart wearables and software for consumers and doctors to better track heart health. At the heart of their brand is a story of growth, product development, and lessons learned scaling a start-up to 400% revenue growth.

As a small brand, Qardio faced difficulty in finding a freight forwarder who was able to provide the level of customer service they desired. With little visibility into the movement of their shipments, their logistics team spent much of their time tracking shipments at the expense of improving their operations.

Flexport’s solution

With Flexport, Qardio has found a forwarder who gives them confidence in their supply chain. Access to centralized shipment data and proactive communication has given Qardio’s logistics team transparency into each step of their product’s journey, reducing the amount of time spent tracking shipments, money spent per shipment, and shipment delays.

“It only took about one trial shipment for me to realize: these guys are different. The level of communication and access to data provided by the Flexport platform was unlike anything I’d seen with other forwarders.”‒ Robert Tregaskes, Head of Logistics at Qardio

12 hours saved per week since working with Flexport

58% reduction in air freight since switching to Flexport

95% fewer FDA-related delays since using Flexport

Getting started

As head of Logistics for Qardio, Robert Tregaskes is no stranger to the freight challenges faced by growing brands. In addition to overseeing all things supply chain, Tregaskes also led the then-small company’s effort to choose a freight forwarder in 2015.

“After trying a few forwarders, I realized that for me the deciding factor wasn’t so much about price,” says Tregaskes. “When each pallet is worth tens of thousands of dollars, you’re pretty touchy about where your shipments are. I was looking for a forwarder who could give me confidence in managing my shipments.”

With Flexport, Tregaskes found the difference he was looking for. “It only took about one trial shipment for me to realize: these guys are different,” recalls Tregaskes. “The level of communication and access to data provided by the Flexport platform was unlike anything I’d seen with other forwarders.”

Growing leanly

In the early days for Qardio, working with Flexport made a big impact on their operations. “Previously, with how little visibility I had into shipment status, I didn’t trust forwarders to handle ocean shipments with 30 day transit times,” says Tregaskes. “With Flexport, I’ve been able cut my air shipments by half.”

Things look a bit different at Qardio today; since beginning to work with Flexport, Qardio has been able to grow revenue by 5x, reduce their FDA-related delays by 95%, and expand into three product lines, all while maintaining a lean logistics team of only two people. “Before Flexport, I was going to hire someone whose sole job would be tracking freight shipments,” says Tregaskes. “Thanks to our team at Flexport, I didn’t have to hire that person, and I’ll never have to hire that person.”

Partners in growth

For Qardio, the greatest benefit of working with Flexport brings has been a new level of clarity into their supply chain. “It’s a great feeling to be able to know where each shipment is at a glance,” says Tregaskes. “The centralization of shipment data, documents and messages on the platform is the reason why Flexport wins for me hands-down everytime.”

Along with growing their own business, Tregaskes has found opportunity to be involved in Flexport’s own product development. “Flexport is more than just a forwarder for us — they’re our partner. They’re very responsive to feedback, and are working hard to build a platform that makes my life easier,” says Tregaskes. “That level of dedication is the reason I chose Flexport, and the reason I continue to choose them as a partner.”

For more information as to how to get started with Flexport, contact us here or at (855) FLEX-123.